Early on in the year 2002 Kylie Minogue released an album, her eighth, that would make me a bona fide fan. Bolstered by singles such as Love At First Sight, In Your Eyes and of course, this one, Fever had enough radio hits to make me want to buy the CD and I fell in love with practically every song. Still, it was this one, Can't Get You Out of My Head that put her on the radar here in the US and is still one of her most recognizable tunes here, sadly, though I've been enjoying thoroughly her all along.
Kylie Minogue's second single off of her new Kiss Me Once album was written and produced by Happy singer Pharrell Williams, with whom Kylie had wanted to work with for a long time. The two finally met sometime in 2013 in Los Angeles and worked on two songs together, this one and another called The Winners. The concept for this one came oddly enough at the time the two were supposed to meet. Our heroine was having a really bad day, so much so that she was thinking of backing out of the meeting. Voila! A song was born.
The tune is a little discoey, pleasant, and very catchy. It's not nearly as good as the first single, Into the Blue, but the chorus definitely stays in your head for awhile after a listen. Now I'm gonna be singing all day long...
Good morning and Happy April! Now that New Wave Month is history it's back to the music of the non-new wave variety for John's World, and we begin with my current favorite song, Kylie Minogue's Into the Blue. This song, and her new album, Kiss Me Once, are awesome, so much so that I'm hoping to do a track by track review of it very soon. In the meantime, enjoy this feel good tune with a great hook! Oh, and have a great day...spring is here!
Kylie is back and sounding as good as ever on this debut track from her forthcoming Kiss Me Once album due out soon. I am so excited! Check out Into the Blue...
Since there was a reunion last night of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (why'd they cancel that show again?), I figured I'd post a song from the show's soundtrack. Since I love Kylie and this particular video is, um, hot, here ya go....Happy Monday!
Here's one song I would have love to see performed live in a club like Splash. Well, Miss Kylie did surprise the club goers there one night in June 2010 when she was in town promoting her most recent album, Aphrodite. Though word had leaked that the Aussie dance superstar would make an appearance there, it got by me...too bad, lol. That would've been cool!
Here's another artist I haven't featured in a long, long time. This is one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite and lesser known Kylie albums, X. It's typical Kylie Minogue, sexy, sultry, and oh so good! Where have you been Miss Kylie?
On Friday, Kylie Minogue released a brand new single and accompanying video that are both absolutely sizzling! The song is called "Timebomb" and it's classic Kylie, with sultry and catchy hooks and it's oh so danceable. Perfect for summer! The track will be featured on her new greatest hits album coming out on June 19th, and the whole thing is part of a year-long celebration of Kylie's 25 years in music, which she calls K25.
The video is another example of vintage Kylie, interspersed with scenes of the singer moving through London's Soho district first on foot and then in a hot car, and studio shots of Kylie being Kylie, dancing it up in her own sexy way. Just check out the next-to-nothing outfit she's wearing towards the end. Meow! Since the video is so new, of course, I'm not permitted to post it here, but you can check it out by clicking the link to YouTube right here.
Check out the Huffington Post article on the new Kylie here.
By the way, today is Kylie's 44th birthday. as well, so Happy Birthday Kylie!
Well I know, life is hard So we're living for the weekend...
It's been a long time since I've listened or posted a Kylie song, and this is one from her "Aphrodite" album that I love...so uplifting! Happy Weekend!
Today's Song of the Day is long overdue, as the year 2012 is a special one for Miss Kylie. You see, this year she's celebrating her 25th year in the music business, as well as the 10th anniversary of her (American) breakthrough album, "Fever." Though she had hit in the States earlier, most notably with her cover of Little Eva's "The Locomotion," she really exploded here with this album full of dance music gems.
"Fever" still gets a lot of airplay in my home and my car, and there isn't a song on it that I don't like. Some of my favorite "Fever" tunes include the smashes "Love at First Sight," "In Your Eyes," and of course this one, but other outstanding tracks include the title cut, "Fragile," "Come Into My World," and the bonus tracks "Butterfly" and "Boy." If you don't already own "Fever," I highly recommend it. In the meantime, enjoy one of her biggest hits ever...
I'm not sure if many of you know this one, but it's my favorite song off of Kylie Minogue's "X" album, which was only released electronically here in the states back in 2007. I was just telling Ivan the other night that I like the "X" album better than her more recent and more celebrated "Aphrodite." Though it saw only limited release here in the states, it is fll of great songs and Kylie toured in support of it and I was lucky enough to get to see it.
This one is very sultry and very Kylie, and I think I even heard it once in the background of a Chevy commercial. If you don't know it, it's definitely worth a listen! Check it out:
Happy Hump Day everyone! Today has been a perfect one for me, as I am finally well rested, basking in the afterglow of a memorable concert, and getting lots of writing done in the process. After being so heavily occupied the past few days, it’s nice to be able to have time to sit down and be productive. The weather’s been crappy all day, and my allergies are acting up, so I don’t mind staying inside anyway…
Kylie
Well, last night was the Kylie Minogue concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC and it was incredible! I went with Ivan, who treated me to front row seats in the mezzanine. Though I hadn’t written about it before, the last (and first!) time I saw her was in the same venue and my friend and I had floor ‘seats’ to, which really meant that we had to stand. Therefore it was difficult to get a good view of the show, although it was a good time anyway.
This time, however, I had an unobstructed view of the entire show. They were probably the best seats I ever had for any concert and so the show was highly enjoyable. What made it more enjoyable was the company. I’ve told you before that Ivan is a huge Kylie fan, by far the biggest I know personally. He is somewhat young and has not been to many concerts before last night, and he’s never seen his “muse” live and in person.
Ivan prepared for the event choosing carefully the clothes he would wear and since we had front row seats, he had a special poster made for the occasion in the hopes the star might just see it. As the show started, his eyes filled with wonder and enthusiasm as he watched his diva do her thing on the stage. It was just as much fun to watch him enjoy the show as anything else. Unfortunately the one time he tried to hold up his poster, he was told by security staff not to do so. Other than that, though, I know he had an awesome time, as did I.
I put up a review of the show this morning on Y!CN. Check it out:
I’m thinking of doing another piece on Examiner under my “Gay Issues” title, as it was a very gay show! Stay tuned for that, and in the meantime, here are some photos I took with my iPhone. They didn’t come out as nice as I would have liked, but some of them are decent: 'Aphrodite' the opening of the show! Work it! Cupid Boys! Mmmmm...gladiators! Kylie and her crew Looking for an Angel Finale
A genuine and inspiring young manIvan
I’d like to take a little time here to talk about Ivan. I first met him a couple of Saturdays ago at my favorite hangout, Splash, and he and I hit it off, so to speak, right away. We’ve gotten together a couple of times since and had fun together. He’s a genuine and inspiring young man who aspires to great things eventually. In a lot of ways he reminds me of me in that way.
Though I vaguely mentioned it earlier, I never said specifically that it was he who I inspired to start writing in his own blog, which he calls “Bruises Fade.” I am linking it here because he’s shared it on Facebook and I think he’s definitely got a good start to what promises to be the very enlightening story of his young life. So please check it out if you’d like to get to know this young man as he lives and grows.
The proverbial shoe on the other foot
Anyway, today is kind of sad when it comes to Ivan. Ever since we went out on last Saturday night (see Weekend Ups n Downs), I’ve been feeling that maybe I’ve led him into thinking that things might go along faster than I really would like them to. I’ve always had a difficult time not responding to kindness and affection with the same, and unintentionally I may have given him the wrong impression. The truth is, I’m still hurting right now and as I said in the not too distant past I don’t think I could be in another relationship with someone for awhile. I had this on my mind all last night and I couldn’t let it end without telling him so. In the process I’m afraid I’ve hurt his feelings, maybe even just a bit.
Since I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of such news, I can understand what he must be feeling and I wish it weren’t so. The very last thing I would ever want to do would be to hurt someone, and I only hope that we’ve known each other too short a time for him to hurt too much. Truth be told, I like Ivan a lot. He’s kind and innocent, hard working and bright eyed, very sweet, and I hope that he continues to be in my life from here on out, especially since he’s a Kylie fan, too, lol!
So in honor of last night’s show and as a big thank you to Ivan for taking me, here’s a clip of the Aussie diva covering the Eurythmics’ classic ‘There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart),’ live from the Hammerstein Ballroom. Check it out:
Today's "Song of the Day" is the third and final one by Kylie Minogue, who I saw last night in concert (stay tuned...). This one, from 2002's 'Fever' LP was one of the singer's biggest hits here in the US and whenever I came across someone who didn't know who she was, I'd mention this one and they'd always say, "Oh I know that song!" Yes!
Kylie's 'Fever' album was the one that first introduced me to who would become one of my favorite all time singers. Practically every song on the CD is awesome, and it produced other hits as well, like the infectuous 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' and 'In Your Eyes,' but my personal favorites are the title track and the tender 'Fragile.' This song, of course, got a great response from the enthusiastic audience last night and I hope you'll enjoy it as well. Take a look and a listen to Kylie Minogue's 'Love at First Sight':
Today's "Song of the Day" was chosen by my friend Ivan, with whom I am going to see Kylie later this evening. He specifically told me to look for the accoustic version of the song, which was done live in a studio. I have to admit, this is the first time I'm hearing the song, and it's quite different from many of the Kylie songs I know. It's got a melancholy tone to it and she surely did an amazing, heartfelt performance with this. So take a look, a listen, and enjoy!
Kylie Minogue is in New York for three shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom beginning tonight and so we honor the Australian pop superstar with a "Song of the Day" for each day she plays here. She started her American leg of her tour on Friday in Boston and followed up with a show Saturday night in Washington. Today marks her triumphant return to NY after a highly successful gig here in the fall of 2009. I was fortunate enough to get to go last time and this time I'll be seeing her Tuesday show.
Today's song is off of her 2003 Bady Language CD and was her most successful track from it. The song is slow, deliberate, and very sensual, as is the wickedly choreographed video featuring Kylie surrounded by a plethora of hot males. Check out Kylie Monogue's 'Slow':
Well it’s Sunday evening and we’re on the cusp of another work week. At least the weeks are growing short and summer will soon be upon us. I’ve put in for a couple of summer teaching spots, but the way things are looking I’m not counting on it. I’ve made contingency plans to not work at all and enjoy the whole season for a change, so we’ll see what happens. Maybe I can really start doing some serious writing then!
The Weekend
I’m feeling very blah this evening…all day as a matter of fact. It’s because I didn’t sleep very much last night, or this morning I should say. After yesterday’s disappointing discovery and ensuing bit of anger, I soon realized that this was probably going to be a good thing and went about getting ready for my evening out.
Yesterday I mentioned my new friend, Ivan, whom I was going to meet last night at Splash. It turns out he doesn’t usually go there on Saturday nights, but prefers to go to another club in Brooklyn, one which I believe ‘he’ now frequents since our breakup. Ivan came to Splash especially for me and the night turned out to be a blast. We danced and stuff for a couple of hours, but eventually he was getting tired of the place. He at first suggested that bar in Brooklyn, but I didn’t want to chance it, especially yesterday. So we headed uptown towards Hell’s Kitchen, the newest gay hot spot in the city, and a new bar for me called the Ritz. I loved it!
The Ritz is a tiny place, with a cozy bar area out front and a crowded dance bar in the back. The crowd seemed a little more local than what you see at Splash, and the music was definitely more rocking. We made our way through the very crowded dance floor towards the very back, where we danced together on the stage. We jammed to Britney, Gaga and Madonna, and the deejay threw in a couple of great mash-ups. There was no Kylie, much to Ivan’s disappointment, especially since he put in a request.
He and I danced til the wee hours of the morning, having a great time. The Ritz was a lot of fun, different than Splash, and I think I’ll definitely be back there. Afterwards, we took a slow ride back to his place, making a pit stop for a snack and some coffee. We got to talk and know each other’s stories a little better. I really enjoyed it, but I just know that for me I have to take things slowly, which isn’t hard of course because we live so far apart and have different work schedules. We’ll just have to see where things take us…
So I got home shortly after 6AM. The sun was already coming up, giving me a quick notion to go down by the water and take what I’m sure would have been spectacular pictures. I didn’t have my camera, of course, and the iPhone 3 doesn’t take good photos, so I just went home. Alas, the reason for the blah, tiring day.
I started a little spring cleaning and did some shopping. The weather was gorgeous, but unfortunately my energy level wasn’t enough to get me outside in the yard. There’s always the afternoons and next weekend!
I’ll leave you here with a Kylie song. Ivan and I are going to see her on Tuesday and I’m really excited about it, though not as excited as him. (He’s by far the biggest Kylie fan I know!) So this one’s dedicated to Ivan…one of my favorites…enjoy “Fever”:
By the way, a very Happy Birthday to my good friend Fran!
Today's "Song of the Day" is dedicated to someone I just met recently. Ivan is a really cool guy who happens to be a huge Kylie fan. I thought I was a big fan (and I am), but I'm nothing compared to him. He actually taught me a thing or two about the evolution of Kylie, something which I hadn't known before...how she evolved from being a pop princess (remember 'The Locomotion'?) to the seriously authentic dance artist she is today. I think I may have some new downloading to do!
Anyway, this one is off of Kylie's "Aphrodite" album. It was the first single and it's also the opening salvo of the record. The video is full of skin, which is one of the things I've always liked about this provacateur. Kylie will be making a three night stop in NY at the Hammersteing Ballroom and I hope to see Ivan there! In the meantime, enjoy 'All the Lovers':
Happy Hump Day! We’re now back on the downward trajectory towards the weekend, thank goodness. It’s funny, but early on in the week I always say to myself that I’m only going to go out one night the following weekend, but once I’ve worked a couple of days I can’t wait to go out and I usually end up going out both nights. Oh well, we’ll just have to see. Here's what's going on in my head today:
Yahoo Featured Contributor – On to the next step!
Great news! I received an email today from Yahoo Contributor Network saying that they liked what they saw in my application to be a Featured Music Contributor and I’ve moved on to the next step in the process. Already I can see that this program will be much more stringent than the earlier one, but the prospect of getting it means more exposure and exciting opportunities ahead.
I was asked to do a test feature story comparing two aspects of music. The subject can be bands, genres, time periods, etc. I have until Sunday the 27th to write it and if it gets accepted I will be thereby accepted into the program, so the pressure is on! My first thoughts are to do a piece comparing Lady GaGa with Madonna at this stage of her career. Since today’s generation seems to think that GaGa’s the next best thing, I’d like to actually look for myself and see where the two compare at respective stages of their career. What do you think? I’d love to hear feedback on whether or not you think this would generate readers.
Writing
I thought it was going to happen today, but I just fell short of hitting the 300K mark on Y!CN. As of this morning I hit 299,987 page views. I’m sure by this moment I’ve already hit that mark and considering how long it took me to get from 200 to 250K, this is amazing. Much of it is due to my Top Ten Valentine’s Day Songs, which was featured for about two weeks in early February. It just goes to show you what exposure can do for your page views and your earnings.
For those of you not in the know, Google has recently changed their algorithm concerning its searches. The purpose was to weed out the dime a dozen crap stories that are out there, and unfortunately the move has hit many of us who freelance online. The change happened just a few short weeks ago and many of us at Y!CN have seen our page views taking big hits as a result, myself included.
I haven’t been publishing too much on either Examiner or Y!CN lately because I’ve been taking assignments at another site that I work for. The site is called “Textbroker” and what they doo is put out calls for articles from their clients. When I use that site, I look through dozens of calls from website owners looking for content for their pages on any of various topics. The assignments are one shot deals and I don’t usually ever get to see what I’ve written there online. It’s a quick and easy way (sometimes) to make quick cash which is what I need to do for the upcoming summer.
Here are some of the pieces I’ve written in the past week.
This week’s stories include the death of singer Loleatta Holloway; Chris Brown’s outburst on the set of GMA and news on an upcoming all star relief album for Japan.
An objective and informative piece about the famous gay club.
Stalker Update
Well, after my newest visit on Monday by Fuzzy, some friends convinced me to finally call the police. I really didn’t want it to go this far, but since he came back after I warned him I realized that my friends were right. A really nice officer came by and I told him my story and he took a report. He advised me that though there is no set number of times you have to be bothered to file a complaint, I should probably do so if he comes around again.
The officer called him from the patrol car and told him to leave me alone. At first he told the cop that he had no idea who I was, but when the cop told him he got his number off of my cell phone he clammed up. What a creep!
I felt better afterwards, but knowing what happened after the last time I’m going to be feeling guarded at best for at least a little while. I’ve gone back to staggering the times that I get home from work and keeping an eye out for his car in the area of my house. My worst fear is that he’ll pull up when I’m getting out of my car. I just hope that it’s over.
Well that’s all I have for right now. As always, thanks for reading. Here’s another video from Kylie off of her “X” CD. It was the biggest hit off of the album and its typical dancy Kylie style. I’m hoping to go see her again this May at Hammerstein Ballroom and I can’t wait! Enjoy!
